Seeing that the slow lane was actually moving much faster than all the others, I aggressively moved over.
Beep!
The driver I had just cut in front of pegged me off, leaning into his windshield and yelling something I couldn’t hear. I ignored him and followed the long chain of cars, taking the next exit, hoping that the city route would be faster.
Luckily, it was.
I was home by 7:08.
Quickly, I tossed all my stuff onto the couch before I ran into the bathroom, already shrugging off my itchy uniform. I worked as a secretary downtown, for a lawyer who was very full of himself and thought it was a good idea to keep me overtime when I had places to go and people to see.
Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit, but I really did have somewhere to go. Every weekend, I went down to this fancy piano bar and worked as entertainment. In high school, I had learned how to play the piano, absolutely falling in love with the instrument. When I moved into my own apartment, however, I didn’t have the space to have one of my own. So, this was my only option. I got to practice my skills and got paid for it all at the same time.
In the bathroom, I unbuttoned my blouse and tossed it in the hamper, which was currently overflowing with laundry I kept putting off. I then unzipped my skirt and pushed it over my wide hips, tossing it into the pile. Dressed in nothing more than panties and a bra, I took down my hair, letting the blonde trusses run over my shoulders and down my back in soft ringlets.
Finally, I took off the rest of my clothes and stepped into the shower, turning on the water. I sighed in satisfaction, feeling the warm stream run over my body, easing away the built-up stress of my life.
As I closed my eyes, I imagined someone different. Much different:
I was in Las Vegas. In front of me, thousands of people sat down in red upholstered seats, dressed in the finest clothes money could buy. Some women in the back held up fancy theater binoculars against their eyes so they could see me better.
A bright spotlight shone down on me, creating a halo effect. I ran my fingers along the ivory keys of my piano, taking a deep breath as I prepared myself for the biggest moment of my career.
“Ladies and Gentlemen…” A flamboyant host came onto the stage wearing a dark suit, a microphone in hand. “It is my great pleasure and honor to introduce you all to Miss Brooke Aguiar! She is a stunning pianist from the small town of Bedford. She started playing when she was in high school and in a matter of a few short years, she learned she was truly a piano prodigy! I hope you all enjoy her lovely music. I know I will.” With that, he bowed and left the stage.
I took my cue, slowly running my fingers along the keys, building up the tempo. As I warmed up, my long, lithe fingers started their natural dance, spinning together a beautiful melody.
My every emotion went into the composition. From sadness and happiness to horror and even some humor. My heart was beating fast, my ears tuned into the music, looking out for any mistakes, but so far, everything was going smoothly.
I reached the crescendo, my fingers flying from one end of the piano to the other. The crowd was silent, completely mesmerized by my work, but I could barely notice them as I got to the hardest part of my piece. If I messed this up now, I would ruin everything.
Pushing myself to the limit, I played even faster, the tempo dramatic and frightening before I brought it back to a sweet melody, ending on a high note.
My fingers finally left the keys and rested on my knees.
At first, nothing happened.
I was worried.
Had they not liked it? Had I not played as good as I thought?
And then, an explosion of applause.
People started to stand up, the whole room thunderous with the sound.
I beamed with pride, slowly standing up and taking a deep bow. Some people threw roses onto the stage, calling my name, trying to get my attention.
My daydream faded as the hot water quickly turned frigid. Luckily, I had just finished washing my hair.
I turned off the shower and got out, quickly toweling myself dry before I walked into my bedroom, grabbing my shimmering black dress. I wore it every week, not because it was the most gorgeous dress in the world, but because I simply didn’t have the money to afford another.
The dress, however, did fit me perfectly, accentuating my hourglass figure. When I was younger, I had been a little on the chunkier side, my love of food making it hard for me to ever properly slim down, but in the last few years, I had worked hard to curb my appetite and make a solid effort at working out. And it seemed to be working. Of course, I still had some problem areas to work on, but the dress did wonders to smooth all of them out.
Knowing I didn’t have much time to waste, I dried my hair into large, bouncy curls before I put on some dramatic makeup, matching the look of the long black gown.
Feeling ready, I grabbed my clutch and headed out the door.
If I had the money, I’d be leaving this place in a shiny black limo, but unfortunately, my Vegas career was still nothing more than a dream…
***
Soon, I arrived at the piano bar. It was still relatively empty since most clients came later in the night. The owner nodded at me, smiling kindly. She had been a pianist herself, but she now suffered from arthritis and could no longer play.
I settled myself behind the grand piano. It was truly a work of art. Light-colored rosewood with intricately carved detailing. The tune was perfect. The range of expression exquisite. I had no doubt that such an instrument must have cost more than I made in a year in my lousy nine-to-five job.
Slowly, I flipped the pages of sheet music to a song I had never played before. The notes were soft, creating a tranquil melody that the lavish clients would no doubt appreciate as they sipped on their expensive drinks and ate overpriced hors d'oeuvres.
As I played, I noticed a large man dressed in a tailored white suit come through the door. He was surrounded by bodyguards, their bodies built like tanks. He had a smirk on his face, his eyes glittering like they owned the world.
For a moment, I imagined him walking over to me, grabbing my hand, and promising me the adventure of a lifetime.
Now, wouldn’t that be exciting?
Alas, he didn’t even seem to notice me. Instead, he walked to a table in the back. Immediately, white-gloved waiters flocked to his side, catering to his every beck and whim. A few women slid into the booth next to him, curling their hair around their pretty little fingers, obviously trying to get his attention.
My eyes moved to his bodyguards, remembering my daydream in the shower. If I ever became a high-class pianist, I would need bodyguards like that too. Maybe even bigger.
I finished my song and a few people clapped politely. I smiled brightly, thinking for a split second that I truly was in Vegas and this was my adoring audience. That dream quickly vanished when one of the new bartenders dropped a bottle of top-shelf scotch, causing it to shatter on the ground.
Silence.
The man in the white suit chuckled. “No worries, my dear. No worries.” He called out to her as her cheeks turned into small flames. “I’ll settle for a bourbon.” She nodded, but it was clear that she was shaken over her mistake. Such a bottle had to cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars, probably more than she made in a month.
Just as everything started to settle back down, someone else walked into the bar, catching my attention. He wore a black tuxedo with a matching bowtie. Usually, I wasn’t much of a fan, but it really did look quite dapper on him. Maybe it was his powerful neck and broad shoulders, or maybe even his chiseled jawline. Whatever it was, it suited him.
If I had been any other girl, maybe I would have walked up to him, pulled on that bowtie just to get him closer. Our bodies would lock together like two puzzle pieces until we were stuck together like glue.
I imagined kissing his pink, soft-looking lips, completely blowing him away with how fiery I was. In the end, I w
ould walk away, leaving him wanting more.
Then, if I wanted things to get really exciting, I would sneak him in the back, take his hand and run it along my thigh, all the way up the slit of my dress, teasing him with my silky skin until he just couldn’t control himself any longer, ravishing me right then and there.
But, I think I’m getting a little ahead of myself. It’s funny how wild your imagination can get when you haven’t had any excitement in your life for God knows how long.
The man in black scanned the bar like he was looking for something, his eyes eventually falling on the man in white.
How interesting.
Could there be some kind of a feud going on between them? A sort of good guy, bad guy situation? Already, my mind started to conjure up a dozen different scenarios, each one more dramatic than the last.
He walked up to the bar and sat down, but every once in a while, he would look over his shoulder at the man flocked by bodyguards.
This was getting very interesting indeed.
To accentuate the mood, my next piece was one with a faster tempo. I felt like I was the music director in a movie, cueing in a high point in the plot. As my fingers danced over the keys, I waited for something to happen.
But, to my dismay, the minutes ticked by, dragging into hours.
It seemed like tonight would just once again be a boring night in the life of Brooke Aguiar.
Chapter 2
ZACH
Ace was sitting in the back of the bar. He had his bodyguards flocked around him in his usual manner which would make getting to him quite the high order, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle.
“What will you have, cutie?” An attractive bartender leaned forward as she addressed me, her bright red lips pursed in a seductive manner.
“I’ll have a dry martini.”
“You got it, handsome.” She winked, starting to mix the drink. As she did so, I looked over my shoulder, studying Ace.
He was sipping on a glass of bourbon, the color rich and golden. Surely, the most expensive drink in the house. Ace was definitely a high roller, but soon enough, he would be rotting in jail.
“Here you are. Say, do you have a name?” She asked, batting her eyelashes ever so slightly like she wanted something from me. “Maybe a number too…” She trailed off, leaning forward just a little bit more, the top of her cleavage showing.
Playing the part, I flashed her a bright smile, running my fingers through my slicked back brown hair. “Name’s Zach –”
Before I could continue, someone cleared their throat. The bartender turned around to find her boss standing there, tapping her foot against the floor. Beside her, a smaller, more docile-looking girl was busy mopping up what looked like spilled liquor.
“Missy. What have I told you about flirting with the customers?” The boss hissed.
The girl turned red in the face before she started to serve some of the other customers.
“I’m sorry about that, sir.” The older woman apologized with a gracious tone.
“Oh, it’s not a problem at all.” I smiled before taking a sip of my drink.
From there, I was free to observe Ace as I pleased. I needed to find the right moment to join him and infiltrate his inner circle. If I could do that much, then it was only a matter of time before I gained his trust and at that point, he would be as good as mine.
I had been investigating Ace for quite a while now, using different disguises to find his hideouts. It was no easy task, he knew how to stay under the radar. None of his associates had given the mafia leader away, so it was high time I talk to him myself.
I left a tip on the counter for Missy before I headed for the back of the room.
His guards instantly got up when they saw me approach, their hands balled into fists like they were about to knock me out right then and there.
“At ease.” Ace prompted. He had a light and airy way about him almost as if he thought he was untouchable. “Let the man talk.”
I met his words with confidence, knowing that a man like Ace would find value in my moxie. I sat down right beside him, forcing the blonde he was fondling to move away.
He grinned, looking interested.
“I hear that you run high stakes poker games every weekend. I was hoping I could buy in.”
Ace raised an eyebrow with intrigue. “Oh, is that so? I’ve never seen you around here before.”
“I’m actually from out of town.” I lied smoothly, keeping my expression steady.
“Which town?” He asked quickly, obviously testing me. No doubt, he probably had hundreds of people trying to scam him in the past. Probably a dozen or so undercover cops. But none of them were me. Where the others had failed, I would succeed.
“Attleboro,” I answered without batting an eye. “You know Big Heidi? Well, I’m her cousin.”
“Zach?” Ace asked, his eyes widening ever so slightly before he brought me into a tight hug. “Why didn’t you say something sooner? Hell, if you’re related to Heidi, you’re practically family. You know, her mother, she made the best chicken parmesan.”
“Oh, you don’t have to tell me.” I laughed, playing my part to a T. “That tomato sauce… it was to die for.” I pinched my fingers together and faked like I was savoring the taste. “I honestly don’t know how she did it. I kept badgering her for the recipe, but she said she would take it to her grave.”
“Maybe we should go dig her up and find it.” Ace joked, jabbing his elbow into my side. I didn’t know if he was doing so to prompt me to laugh or to subtly check whether I was carrying a gun. Luckily, I was smart enough to come unarmed. You can get yourself into quite a pinch if someone finds you with a gun when you’re supposed to be all friendly and buddy-buddy to them. And, honestly, I much preferred to break someone’s nose over blasting their brains out. Guns made things way too easy.
“So, do you think I can get a spot at one of your poker games? Heidi wouldn’t shut up about it.”
“That’s because Heidi has never won a penny.”
“I expect she gets too plastered to think straight. You know how she loves her vodka. Straight. Pinch of lemon.”
Ace’s shoulders sagged a little, relaxing just a tad. Up until now, he kept his guard up, not easily fooled by stories and ruses, but I had done my homework. I knew Big Heidi inside and out.
“Hmm, there’s an opening tonight, but it’s a friendly game. $10,000 buy-in. You’re free to come… but there’s one rule.”
I raised my eyebrow in question. “And what is that?”
He smirked. “You have to bring along a beautiful woman.”
“Is that all? I can have ten women by the time the night is over.”
“Then, I look forward to seeing you later tonight. The game starts at 3:00 A.M. Don’t be late.” He reached into his jacket and pulled out an Ace of Spades, handing it to me. “That’s your invitation. If you show up without it, my men won’t hesitate to make quick work of you.” The bodyguards nearly growled at me at their boss’ words. “Well, it has certainly been a pleasure, but I must get going now.” He snapped his fingers and instantly, two women flocked to his side, holding onto his arms. His bodyguards were quick to follow.
I waited until he left the bar before I slumped back into my seat. While I was good at my job, it didn’t mean it was easy. I grabbed Ace’s unfinished glass of bourbon and sniffed it. I spun it around to the clean side and downed the expensive liquor, enjoying the taste as it effortlessly ran down my throat, warming me from the inside out.
As I sat there, staring at the bar, I planned out my night. I would need to find myself a date and quickly. I could call the station and ask for a female officer to come along with me, but none of them were really cut out for the part. Besides, none of them had been thrust into such a dangerous situation before. I hardly thought they could handle it since most of them only issued parking tickets or handled routine traffic stops.
Ace was a whole
other ballpark.
He was the town’s biggest mafia leader. The overlord of the city’s underbelly. If someone needed high-end drugs, he was the man to call. If someone needed a hit, he was the man to call.
For years, the department has been trying to take him down, but every time an officer got close enough to bust him, their body ended up in the river, decomposed beyond recognition. The only way we were ever able to ID the victims was by their police badges which were always nailed over their hearts.
I knew, by taking on this assignment, that I might be the next corpse floating down the river, but honestly, I needed to take this man down. Five years ago, my sister had been walking home from a late-night class and back to her dorm when a couple of guys jumped her.
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